The alien mollusc Aplysia dactylomela is recorded for the first time from the Egadi Islands marine protected area (western Sicily). This species has been widely reported in the Mediterranean and has established populations in Sicily. The presence of a few specimens let us suppose that its occurrence in this area is a recent event and that soon new populations will be sighted in the whole Egadi Islands and on the western and southern coasts of Sicily.

We report the sighting of bonnethead shark Sphyrna tiburo juveniles <60 cm total length (L T ) after more than two decades of apparent absence in Todos os Santos Bay (Brazilian eastern coast). A total of 8 specimens were collected on the Paraguaçu estuary during a Long Term Fish Monitoring Programme. The L T , total body mass and stomach contents are reported. Relevance for nursery areas to this threatened species is also discussed.

This work presents records of two endobenthic species of sea cucumber (Holothuroidea: Echinodermata) not previously reported in Canadian waters. Thyone inermis (Dendrochirotida) and Labidoplax buskii (Apodida) were collected south-west of Nova Scotia (eastern Canada) in 2009 in Georges and Crowell Basins in the upper 2 cm of muddy seafloor at upper bathyal depths (240–370 m). Both species are of small size, 3.7–8 mm and 5–8 mm long, respectively.

Previous studies indicated that a tropical shad Tenualosa ilisha is found from northern Sumatra of Indonesia in the east to Kuwait in the west. In Malaysia two species, Tenualosa toil and Tenualosa macrura, have been recorded from Borneo. This is the first record of the occurrence of T. ilisha in Malaysian waters. The new record suggests the urgent need for studies of biology and population dynamics for this commercially important Malaysian species.

The Indian swellshark Cephaloscyllium silasi is a poorly known deep water scyliorhinid (Carcharhiniformes) shark described from the south-west coast of India (off Kollam). Since the original description, reports of this species are absent due to rarity of specimens. This paper presents the first report of its egg case and also provides detailed morphological data about C. silasi based on recently collected materials.

Specimens of the deep-water sipunculan worm Phascolosoma (Phascolosoma) turnerae were recently collected from the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. This species is characterized by hooks showing a peculiar anterior stout and long projection at their base. A key to all the Phascolosoma species found in the Mediterranean Sea is included.

A record of a healthy specimen of slender sunfish Ranzania laevis with an amputated anal fin and healed scars is described from the south-western Indian Ocean. This is the first evidence of nektonic pelagic fish survival in spite of the ablation of a major locomotory organ and the first indication of non-lethal predation on adult slender sunfish.

The diet of young Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) in the Bay of Biscay foraging ground was assessed using stomach-content analysis (SCA) and stable-isotope analysis coupled with isotope mixing model. Whereas SCA showed that the young tuna fed mainly on horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus), the estimation of liver and muscle mixing model analyses indicated that northern krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica) was the most important food resource. These contrasting observations are probably due to the different time scales spanned by the different methods. The present results suggest that young bluefin tuna prey at different trophic levels of the Bay of Biscay pelagic food web, thus behaving as an opportunist and generalist predator.

The presence of the sea slug Polybranchia orientalis (Sacoglossa: Caliphyllidae) is recorded for the first time from Vizhinjam, Kovalam and Thirumullavaram located along the south-west coast of India. The specimens were obtained from the green algal mats of Caulerpa peltata in December 2013.

This paper presents an inventory of the species of molluscs collected on the continental shelf and upper slopes (70–500 m depth) on the Pacific side of Colombia. In 2002, 39 trawl samples were taken on soft bottoms by the RV ARC ‘Malpelo’. Thirty-eight species of bivalves were collected, comprising living animals and dead collected shells. Information on abundance, Colombian distribution and depth range is provided. Thirty-four species represent the first records for the Colombian Pacific, significantly increasing the number of shelf and slope species known in the region.

The fasciolariid snail Granulifusus poppei was collected for the first time from the Kerala coast, India. The record of the specimen from the Arabian Sea shows the extended distribution of the species from Somalia to India in the western Indian Ocean.

Lucanicum concatenatum is a chain-forming araphid pennate, assigned to Cyclophorales: Cyclophoraceae on the basis of morphological characters and DNA sequences, resembling Neosynedra, but with platelike plastids and striae mostly undivided by vimines. So far it has only been found growing on blue coral, Heliopora coerulea, but we do not suggest that it is restricted to this habitat. Its phylogenetic position, near Cyclophora, Florella and Astrosyne, requires amendment of the diagnosis of Cyclophorales, which included characters unique to C. tenuis, the only species in the order at that time. The question of the scope and description of the Cyclophoraceae remains unresolved.

Selwynia, is regarded as a senior subjective synonym of Aphanodactylus (Crustacea: Brachyura: Pinnotheroidea: Aphanodactylidae). This synonymy does not affect the family name Aphanodactylidae. A diagnosis is provided for Selwynia laevis and this species is re-described.

The bryozoan Schizoporella errata was found in the waters of the island of São Miguel (Azores, Portugal) in August 2013. Its occurrence in the Ponta Delgada Marina suggested that it had been newly introduced into the area, probably via maritime traffic, owing to the fouling proclivity of these cheilostome colonies. It may be expected that S. errata will disperse throughout the Azores Archipelago, being transported by recreational boating as a fouling component of hulls. Measures to minimize a rapid spread of the species should be addressed and the effects of its presence on the native community studied.

Five living specimens of the Aglajidae Spinoaglaja wildpretii are reported from north-eastern Sardinia (Tyrrhenian Sea); these are the first records from Italian shores, the first record of living specimens in the entire Mediterranean and they noticeably enlarge the known range of the species. Some ecological notes are added.

Prosthiostomum trilineatum of the family Prosthiostomidae has been reported for the first time from Ratnagiri, the west coast of India. This species has broadly rounded anterior end, tapering body, distinct orange-yellow, black and white frontal transverse bands and yellow-black longitudinal stripe. For the first time histological details of this species are presented. This confirms the presence of a pair of free prostatic vesicles and sclerotized stylet peculiar to the genus Prosthiostomum. This species is known from Japan, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, the Red Sea and Singapore. This is also a new record of the family Prosthiostomidae from this coast. To consider the currently known two colour morphs of this species, other than presented here, a comparative examination of the reproductive system and molecular details is needed.

Previous studies indicated that a tropical mottled eel Anguilla marmorata Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 had been found in Peninsular Malaysia. After reexamination of a number of key characters of a preserved specimen, the species was identified as Anguilla bengalensis bengalensis Gray, 1831. This is the first record of the occurrence of this species in Malaysian waters. There was no eel aquaculture around the eel habitats. Thus, A. bengalensis bengalensis is a native eel species in Malaysia. The new record is suggestive of an offshore spawning area and migration route to the Malaysian coast.

A six metre adult male of the white shark Carcharodon carcharias was caught by demersal longliners operating off Dompu, Indonesia. The specimen was landed and sold at Tanjung Luar landing site in eastern Lombok. Photographic evidence for this specimen is provided and an upper lateral tooth was retained. This is the first confirmed record of the species in Indonesian waters.

Indonesia has a diverse range of cetacean species, yet there are few records of their distribution, especially from remote regions. Incidental sightings from aerial surveys were conducted in 2006 and boat-based surveys were conducted from 2006–2011 in Raja Ampat in the Bird's Head Seascape, Indonesia. This paper is the first to provide a species list and an indication of the spatial and temporal distribution of cetaceans in central and southern Raja Ampat. Seven dolphin and six whale species were documented, including Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins Sousa chinensis, Bryde's Balaenoptera edeni, sperm Physeter macrocephalus, killer Orcinus orca and pygmy killer Feresa attenuata whales. Temporal differences in sightings suggest Raja Ampat is an important area for migratory whale species and resident populations of Indo-Pacific humpback Sousa chinensis, spinner Stenella longirostris and common bottlenose Tursiops truncatus dolphins. Cetacean diversity was highest in the months of January–February, May and October–November, with most sightings recorded in Kofiau marine protected area and Dampier and Sagewin Straits. Diversity and species distribution data are critical for managing cetaceans in Indonesia. Emerging threats to cetaceans in Raja Ampat include seismic surveys for seabed oil and gas exploration, potential strikes from increasing ship traffic, entanglement in fishing nets and increasing discharge of plastic pollution from urban areas. In addition to regulations for marine protected areas, a wider conservation strategy is required to address or better manage emerging threats to Raja Ampat, and to ensure the long-term protection of resident and migratory dolphin and whale species.

A total of 34 marine algae are reported for the first time based on historical herbarium collections from the marine shores of Tonga in the central South Pacific Ocean: eight Rhodophyta and 26 Chlorophyta. One species of Rhodophyta, i.e. Trichogloea requienii, and four species of Chlorophyta, i.e. Caulerpa plumulifera, Codium extricatum, Udotea glaucescens and Valoniopsis pachynema, represent the first records from central Polynesia. The red alga Titanophora pikeana has only been previously reported in this region from the adjacent western Melanesian islands of Fiji and the isolated Hawaiian Islands to the north. The other 28 algal species are widely distributed marine species around tropical and subtropical islands in the Pacific Ocean.